SYDNEY, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Australian shares are set for a quiet start on Monday, tracking a flat session on Wall Street, but natural resources stocks could receive a boost from a rise in metal prices.
Global miner BHP Billiton (L:BLT) BHP.AX is expected to open around 1 percent higher after a gain in its U.S. ADRs BHP.N .
Local share price index futures APcm1 , at 4,919, were unchanged from the close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO on Friday.
The benchmark jumped nearly 4 percent last week, reversing the previous week's losses.
Earnings season continues with Boart Longyear BLY.AX , Bluescope Steel BSL.AX , UGL UGL.AX , NIB NHF.AX and Spark Infrastructure SKI.AX due to release results.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 edged lower in early trade, having jumped 3.5 percent last week.
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